A strong sales launch for the new iPhone 17 has powered Apple to record revenue, giving the company renewed momentum and allowing CEO Tim Cook to deliver an unexpectedly optimistic outlook for the current quarter. Demand has exceeded internal forecasts, and Apple expects double-digit growth in its iPhone business during the holiday period.
Still, the company acknowledged ongoing supply bottlenecks that prevented it from fulfilling all orders in several markets, meaning the segment’s initial performance fell short of its full potential in the early phase. Executives in Cupertino explained that the company is “processing orders as quickly as possible” while prioritizing availability of the most in-demand models as component supplies stabilize.
An additional factor was the delayed rollout of the new lineup in China due to regulatory approval linked to the transition to devices without physical SIM-card slots. Despite that temporary hurdle, early customer response to the iPhone 17 in China has been strong, and Apple expects the supply-demand balance to gradually improve throughout the quarter.
Tim Cook emphasized that the company remains “very optimistic” about the Chinese market and anticipates a return to growth in the first fiscal quarter, following a previous period of declining sales in the country. With a strengthened product lineup and a robust services ecosystem, Apple is projecting another record year-end performance fueled by holiday demand, while accelerating operational normalization to reduce delivery times and fully capture consumer and carrier interest in its latest generation of iPhones.
